Eyeshade for golfers



Sept. 13, 1955 N. A. LIN STER EYESHADE FQR GOLFERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1954 INVENTOR. A/(C/70/(Zs 6? [ms er Sept. 13, 1955 N. A. LINSTER 2,717,386

EYESI-IADE FOR GOLFERS Filed March 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENTOR. /Vzc/70/0'5 /2 [1/73 fer United States Patent EYESHADE FOR GOLFERS Nicholas A. Linster, Mansfield, Ohio Application March 8, 1954, Serial No. 414,749

3 Claims. (Cl. 2-12).

This invention relates to an eyeshade that is especially designed for use by golf players.

It is well known that the great majority of amateur golfers have trouble keeping their head down with their eyes on the ball when making a shot. They are so anxious to see where the ball is going that they quickly look up towards the end of their swing. Generally this is just before the club head hits the ball which results in a poor shot for it is essential for a good shot that one see the club head strike the ball. Many golfers say or think to themselves when addressing the ball preparatory to making a shot, Keep your head down. A better slogan would be. See the club head hit the ball.

I have found by experience that if a players vision is restricted, when making a shot, to the small area aroun the ball this tendency to look up too soon is greatly minimized. With this in mind I have provided an eyeshade visor which is adapted to extend forwardly from ones head above their eyes, with a pair of flaps, one of which extends downwardly from each side of the visor in position to restrict the wearers vision straight forwardly. In order that a players vision will not be restricted when walking between shots I mounted the flaps upon the visor in such a manner that they can be quickly and easily moved back and forth between their vision restricting position and a position under and substantially parallel to the visor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an eyeshade with constraining means by which a wearers vision is restricted straight forwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide an eyeshade with vision constraining means which is so constructed that it can be quickly and easily moved back and forth between operative and inoperative positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vision constraining means of the aforesaid character which can be easily applied to the visors of caps or eyeshades.

Other and more limited objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof wherein:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of an eyeshade constructed according to my invention, and showing the flaps in inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the visor of the eyeshade, the plane of the section being indicated by the lines 2-2 on Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the eyeshade of my invention in position upon a players head with the vision constraining flaps in operative position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section through one of the flap securing means taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters the numeral 1 indicates a visor which is secured to a headband 2 by which the visor 1 is removably held upon a players head in position to extend forwardly therefrom above the eyes.

A pair of similar vision constraining flaps 3 are secured 2,717,386 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 to the underside of the visor 1, one adjacent each side thereof, by suitable securing means, generally indicated by the numeral 4, which are so constructed and arranged that the flaps. 3 may be quickly and easily moved back and forth between operative and inoperative positions. The flaps 3 are preferably made of thin light slightly flexible opaque or translucent plastic material.

When in operative position, that is in position to constrain ones vision during the making of a shot the flaps 3 extend substantially vertically downwardly from the underside of the visor 1 with the edges 5 thereof in contact with a users face slightly rearwardly of his eyes as shown in Fig. 4. From the point of contact with a players face the flaps 3 extend forwardly substantially parallel with the side edges 6 of the visor 1 with the edges 7 of the flaps 3 disposed a substantial distance in front of the eyes.

When it is not desired to use the flaps 3 to restrict ones vision as when a player is walking between shots the flaps are adapted to be disposed under the visor 1 in a position substantially parallel thereto with the edges 5 adjacent the front of the visor 1 and the edges 7 adjacent the headband 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In moving the flaps 3 from the inoperative position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to the operative position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 they are first turned outwardly about a substantially vertical axis from the full line positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to the dotted line positions A shown in Figs. 2 and 3, after which they are swung downwardly about a substantially horizontal axis to the dotted line position B shown in Fig. 3, and into engagement with the sides of ones face as shown in Fig. 4. In returning the flaps 3 back from operative position to inoperative position they are first swung up to the dotted line position A, and then turned to the full line position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in which position they are disposed against the underside of the visor above the users eyes.

Each flap securing means 4 comprises a ball 10 and a clip 11. The ball 10 is carried by a flanged shank 12 which is inserted into a suitable aperture 13 in the visor 1 and is retained therein by having the end thereof riveted over as indicated at 14. The clip 11 comprises a base 15 and a pair of opposed resilient sides 16 which extend upwardly and outwardly therefrom. The base 15 is riveted to the flap 3 as indicated at 17, and the sides 16 have opposed spherical recesses 18 between which the ball 10 is gripped. The flaps 3 are notched as indicated at 19 to accommodate the forward ends of the sides 16. This construction provides a universal connection between the flaps 3 and visor 1 such that the flaps 3 may be turned and/ or rotated in any direction. The clips 11 grip the balls 10 with suflicient tightness to hold the flaps in any position they are moved to. As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the clips 11 are attached to the flaps 3 considerably closer to the edges 7 than to the edges 5 thereof. This arrangement allows the flaps 3 to be disposed entirely under the visor in front of ones forehead when in inoperative position, and to extend rearwardly of the visor into engagement with the side of ones face behind the eyes when in operative position.

The device may be easily and quickly applied to the visor of any cap or eyeshade of usual construction by cutting the properly positioned aperture 13 therein and then inserting the shanks 12 therethrough and riveting them over as shown in Fig. 5.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a very simple, etficient and inexpensive device for retracting ones vision as desired for the purpose described.

It is to be understood that I am not limited to the specific construction shown and described herein as various modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An eyeshade for golf players comprising a visor, means by which said visor is removably secured to a players head in position to extend forwardly therefrom above the eyes, a flap carried by said visor, said flap being adapted in one position to project substantially vertically downwardly from said visor with one edge thereof being disposed rearwardly of said visor and to extend forwardly I from said one edge adjacent one side of said visor and in another position to be disposed against the underside of said visor substantially parallel thereto with said one edge extending transversely of said visor adjacent the forward end thereof, and interconnecting means between said flap and said visor providing a universal connection between said flap and said visor through which said flap may be turned and rotated horizontally and vertically between said positions, said interconnecting means being also operative to yieldingly hold said flap in any set position, and comprising a ball permanently secured to said visor and a clip permanently secured to said flap between the medial line thereof and the edge opposite said one edge, said clip resiliently gripping said ball.

2. An eyeshade for golf players comprising a visor, means by which said visor is removably secured to a players head in position to extend forwardly therefrom above the eyes, a flap carried by said visor, said flap being adapted in one position to project substantially vertically downwardly from said visor with one edge thereof being disposed rearwardly of said visor and to extend forwardly from said one edge adjacent one side of said visor and in another position to be disposed against the underside of said visor substantially parallel thereto with said one edge extending transversely of said visor adjacent the forward end thereof, and interconnecting means between said flap and said visor providing a universal connection between said flap and said visor through which said flap may be turned and rotated horizontally and vertically between said positions, said interconnecting means being also operative to yieldingly hold said flap in any set position, and comprising a ball permanently secured to said visor and a clip resiliently gripping said ball and permanently secured to said flap with the major portion of said flap disposed on one side of said clip.

3. An eyeshade for golf players comprising a visor, means by which said visor is removably secured to a players head in position to extend forwardly therefrom above the eyes, a flap carried by said visor, said flap being adapted in one position to project substantially vertically downwardly from said visor with one edge thereof being disposed rearwardly of said visor and to extend forwardly from said one edge adjacent one side of said visor and in another position to be disposed against the underside of said visor substantially parallel thereto with said one edge extending transversely of said visor adjacent the forward end thereof, and interconnecting means between said flap and said visor providing a universal connection between said flap and said visor through which said flap may be turned and rotated horizontally and vertically between said positions, said interconnecting means being also operative to yieldingly hold said flap in any set position, and the major portion of said flap being disposed on one side of said interconnecting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,829,538 Prichard Oct. 27, 1931 2,434,076 Kilham Jan. 6, 1948 2,523,885 Tannenbaum Sept. 26, 1950 

